Alan Lee has apologised to Town fans — and begged their forgiveness — after playing for arch-rivals Norwich.

Lee is back at Portman Road five years after he was transferred to Crystal Palace following a successful 20-month stint that saw him plunder 34 goals in 109 games.

He returned in the summer to join the academy coaching staff but has since reversed his decision to quit playing and signed non-contract terms that could see him feature in first team action over the coming months.

It was in March 2009, during his time at Selhurst Park, that he agreed a loan move to Carrow Road but although he scored twice in seven appearances he was unable to prevent the Canaries being relegated to League One.

Lee recalled his brief spell with Norwich and said: “I suppose I’ve got some making up to do with the supporters and I’ll do everything I can.

“But at the time I was lonely in London and for me it was an opportunity to get back with my family. That’s got to be number one and I took it.

"My mate Gunny [Bryan Gunn] was manager of Norwich at the time and first and foremost I was looking after number one. I apologise but it was something that was right for me.”

Lee admitted he did not want to leave Ipswich in 2008 but felt he had no alternative than to head for South London when then boss Jim Magilton made his position clear.

He added: “There were quite a few things. I didn’t want to leave but the manager said I wouldn’t get another contract and I figured at that stage my best option would be to sign for Neil Warnock at Crystal Palace.

“I had a horrible start when I got injured in my very first training session. It was a horrible year but the next year was one of my favourite years in football. It might sound silly because we were in administration and everything was against us.

“But as a group of staff and players we just pulled together so well. Everyone gave absolutely 100 per cent and we stayed up on the last day of the season. Everything’s for a reason and I ended up having a great time at Crystal Palace. I loved it and was sorry to leave there as well.”

But Lee, who later joined Huddersfield before being released in the summer, is delighted to be back for a second time at Portman Road.

He said: “Right from the start I loved playing for Ipswich Town. It hadn’t gone well for me at Cardiff and from not being in the team there I was starting for Ipswich.

“The atmosphere, the stadium, the beautiful training ground, the facilities, I felt wanted again. It really worked out for me and I loved my time here.”

Meanwhile, Hull winger Cameron Stewart, who recently joined Charlton on loan until January, has revealed that Tigers boss Steve Bruce confirmed that Town were, as reported at the time, amongst the clubs showing interest in him in the summer.

“I did see Steve Bruce and he said that he had spoken to Charlton, Blackpool and Ipswich about me and that Celtic had been in contact," he said.

Elsewhere, games against Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday, Colchester, Crewe, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Leeds, Barnsley, Watford and Coventry have been added to the U18s fixture list.

Photo: Action Images

Moscow_Blue added 06:05 - Sep 19 Come on, everyone has to earn a living and he did take them down.
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NorthSTANDER_ITFC added 07:05 - Sep 19 This is actually quite amusing
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sotd78 added 07:08 - Sep 19 Who cares? The only loyalty left in the game is with the fans. Everything else is about the money. Lonely at palace, love living in east Anglia, so I'll go to Norwich....don't buy it. There's nothing to apologise for but this its just wheedling...best to say nothing.
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chippyblue added 07:09 - Sep 19 Funny this story " we will let you off this time Alan lol ,,
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hampstead_blue added 07:25 - Sep 19 He clearly has a sense of humor. Good luck to him.
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Dissboyitfc added 07:32 - Sep 19 he mentioned the training ground and the facilities at portman road so i forgive him, lol.....coyb
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patrickswell added 07:58 - Sep 19 Nothing to apologise for, Alan. You really shouldn't have been let go by us in the first place. You weren't the first Town player to go to Norwich (Peter Morris, Clive Woods, Trevor Putney etc) and as I remember, Norwich were trying to sign any player in the leagues on loan to try and keep them up. Somewhere, Paul Jewell was watching and taking notes....
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Morgan added 08:35 - Sep 19 I like this. I'm so fickle I am liable to forgive. Don't do it again. Norwich is the devil.
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Weddell added 08:35 - Sep 19 People like him make this club great, he actually seems to care.
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brian_a_mul added 08:56 - Sep 19 No worries Al, your back where you belong!
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Bandbox_Blue added 09:00 - Sep 19 Erm isn't Norwich further away from your home in Essex than Palace Alan? Sorry can't forgive you.
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ThatMuhrenCross added 09:07 - Sep 19 I think the reasons he is giving now for joining Norwich are the very same reasons he gave back when he joined. I understood at the time, and I understand now. Football's his career, I would never expect him to have this mythical 'loyalty' to ITFC, or Norwich for that matter.
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Britton1996 added 09:28 - Sep 19 Once a judas always a judas
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EatonBlue added 10:19 - Sep 19 Alan, join us in SBR Lower and sing the anti-scum and Delia songs, then you will be forgiven completely.
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itfchorry added 10:26 - Sep 19 Great to have you back big man - Alan Lee - Goal
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stevelincsexile added 10:43 - Sep 19 Sotd78 you are spot on.
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Michael11 added 10:44 - Sep 19 You can understand why he moved there and don't really blame him for it, everyone wants to be closer to their family. What really annoyed me the most was the lack of respect he showed us about doing it, saying how he'd really celebrate if he scored against us etc after we loved him here. Anyway, apology accepted from me as he was woeful at Portman Road and scum went down!

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raycrawfordswig added 11:27 - Sep 19 Took naartch down job done .Forgiven
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cornishnick added 11:30 - Sep 19 As you helped get them relegated, you are forgiven.
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ElvisMariner added 11:39 - Sep 19 Apology accepted
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KBsSocks added 11:44 - Sep 19 Nothing to forgive. If I work for Apple then for Microsoft, am I a bad fruit ? He's back here, and the rest is water under the bridge, or maybe cider down the pan :-)
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goat_man added 11:51 - Sep 19 Lol what a nonsense story!
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Garv added 12:15 - Sep 19 Couldn't care less. Always believe in...
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WickedBlue added 12:19 - Sep 19 Has nothing to apologise for. Ipswich didn't want him Norwich did a man has to earn a living. Anyone with a problem with Lee playing for Norwich is a cretin.
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WickedBlue added 12:21 - Sep 19 @Bandbox-blue your geography is worst than your knowledge of football.
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